Best known for his roles in films such as 'Jurassic Park' and 'Dirty Deeds', actor Sam Neill could have had a very different career if one particular audition for a role he never really wanted actually went well. Asked by his agent to go to the call for an actor to replace Roger Moore in the James Bond film series, Neill would lose out on the job to Pierce Brosnan - who had to then forfeit the role because of his connections to a television series - but it's not something Neill regrets.

Sam Neill once auditioned for the role of James Bond

Neill and Brosnan were up against eventual role winner Timothy Dalton when it came to replacing Moore following his final Bond film 'A View To A Kill', and whilst Neill impressed some of those working behind-the-scenes, series producer Albert Broccoli didn't think he was the right man for the job.

Brosnan would of course go on to replace Dalton from 1995 and spend a decade in the role, whilst Neill's experience with the franchise isn't something that ever picked up again.

Asked by The Telegraph about the audition, the actor fired back: "No. Don’t ask! It was all a bad dream. The lesson I learnt that day was never be bullied by your agent into going along to something you don’t want to do ever again. That was the last time."

Enjoying a hugely successful career without the pressure of being known as Bond, Neill obviously made the right choice on a personal level. Enjoying a number of roles, both leading and supporting, he's carved a mighty career in a volatile industry where nothing is ever promised, and has to be applauded for it. Whilst it may have been nice to see him as Bond once or twice, he would clearly have never been passionate about the role, which is half of the fight of bringing the spy to life.